The Secrets of Influence and

Persuasion Tactics



SOCIAL INFLUENCE-1

 

Dr. Robert B. Cialdini, a professor of psychology at the Arizona State University is probably the leader in this field. He learned about real life persuasion by living with professionals. He took part-time jobs with sales groups that pushed everything from vacuum cleaners to vinyl siding. As far as I can determine, he is one of the very few that has done any extensive and valuable research on social influence.  It was his book that really got me going. (Influence, Science and Practice - Scott, Foresman and Company) It is must reading if you want to study these concepts in detail.

The key issue here is the automatic reactions to these principles. People don't even think about them, they just react.


These rules are mental shortcuts by lazy thinkers. Targets un-knowlingly apply these rules to guide them in their thinking or action with minimum of mental effort and activity. This is what makes them so powerful and very scary.


It is often not necessary to pre-condition targets. Their reactions are automatic.

Rule number one - SCARCITY.


Scarcity is a short-cut to compliance widely used to create value. You know this of course, but have you ever stopped and thought about why this works? It really doesn't make any sense. Why is something better or more expensive just because it is in limited quantities?


I once strolled into a BMW dealership to look at 'basic transportation'. There was this blue 528i there and I spent some time looking at it. The salesman came running over, and said to me: "You must be John!" I said "No, I'm not John." "Oh" he said, "Sorry, John called a little while ago and said he'd be coming in at three o'clock to put a deposit down on this car. It's the last one we have, and  he really wanted it at this low price." Hello!!!


Something in my stomach began to churn. Boy, the last one! And some other guy will be here any minute to snatch it away from me! No way...


I drove that car for 6 years, and enjoyed it tremendously. Every time I passed by the dealership, I looked at all the other blue 528i's on the lot and wondered if "John" ever bought one just like it? Or got left out and bought a Geo?



 

OPPORTUNITIES SEEM MORE LIKE IT WHEN THEY ARE SCARCE. IT'S SILLY, BUT IT MAKES US CRAZY. WORKS EVERY TIME.


Some factors that works with scarcity:
 

FEAR OF LOSS

If you don't do something, you might lose it. People will often interrupt a meeting to answer a telephone call. Why? Because if you don't you might miss it for good. It could be an important call. Even if the meeting is important, you take the call.


FLAWED COLLECTIBLES

Flawed stamps, coins and other artifacts command big bucks. Normally they should be trashed, but because of this principle they are sought after. Silly, eh?


LIMITED AVAILABILITY

The classic SCARCITY ploy. Look at last years' Nintendo 64 game. Couldn't get it. Everybody wanted it. What happened? You and I bought other equally expensive toys for their kids for Christmas just to keep them happy. Then, after Christmas the Nintendo became available in great numbers, and because we had promised the kids the game we went out and bought it. Why did we spend TWICE the money we had planned on? Do you think the toy manufacturers and stores KNOW THIS? You bet. Now you know it too. This scarcity short-cut will get you every time.


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